Image transfer printing machine

ABSTRACT

An image transfer printing machine for delivering an inked impression from a plate onto a roller for subsequent transfer to an article to be printed. The machine has a drive arrangement for driving the roller in timed sequence across the plate so as to accurately record the impression upon the roller.

United States Patent Inventor Edward A. Ferrari Detroit, Mich.

Appl. No. 865,891

Filed Oct. 13, 1969 Patented Jan. 11, 1972 Assignees David P. Rankine; Robert L. Rankine IMAGE TRANSFER PRINTING MACHINE 6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 101/269, 101/252,118/258 B411 3/34 Field of Search 101/269,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 96,480 11/1869 Phelps 101/269 X 460,929 10/1891 Beach et a1. 101/269 1,584,483 5/1926 Smith a 101/252 1,818,862 8/1931 Oungst 101/252 3,326,124 6/1967 Heil et al. 118/258 X FOREIGN PATENTS 355,234 6/1922 Germany 101/269 Primary ExaminerClyde l. Coughenour Att0rneyHarness, Dickey & Pierce ABSTRACT: An image transfer printing machine for delivering an inked impression from a plate onto a roller for subsequent transfer to an article to be printed. The machine has a drive arrangement for driving the roller in timed sequence across the plate so as to accurately record the impression upon the roller.

' PATENTEU mu 1 i972 SHEET 2 [IF 2 IMAGE TRANSFER PRINTING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an image transfer printing machine and more particularly to an improved machine of this type for accurately reproducing an inked image onto a detachable roller.

Various forms of hand printing devices have been proposed for printing inked impressions onto paper or other articles. Hand stamps are typical of this type of printing apparatus. Such hand stamps have certain defects and it is preferable in some instances to employ a roller for transferring such impressions. In the prior art, however, the passing of the roller across the plate has frequently resulted in some slippage of the roller relative to the plate resulting in a blurred image.

It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved image transfer printing machine.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved hand-operated printing machine embodying a roller.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a printing machine embodying an improved structure for accurately transferring an inked impression onto a transfer roller.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An image transfer printing machine embodying this invention is particularly adapted to transfer an image from a roller assembly to an article. The machine comprises a base assembly that carries a plate defining the image to be transferred and means for applying ink or the like to the plate. A carriage is supported for movement relative to the base assembly and rotatably supports a first timing gear. The first timing gear cooperates with a second timing gear carried by the base assembly for driving the first timing gear in synchronism upon movement of the carriage relative to the base assembly. The roller assembly is comprised of a roller and a supporting member for rotatably supporting the roller. Means are provided for effecting a detachable driving connection between the roller and the first timing gear for transferring ink from the plate to the roller when the roller is drivingly connected to the first timing gear and the carriage is moved relative to the base assembly to bring the roller into registry with the plate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image transfer printing machine embodying this invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the machine shown in FIG. 1, with certain ofthe components in a different location.

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view, taken from the roller end ofthe machine.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An image transfer printing machine embodying this invention is identified generally by the reference numeral 11. The machine 11 is comprised ofa base assembly 12 that carries an ink pad 13 and a plate 14 that is adapted to carry the image to be printed. A carriage assembly 15 is supported for reciprocating movement relative to the base assembly 12 and provides a means for detachable driving connection to a roller assembly 16.

The base assembly 12 consists ofa pair ofspaced supporting members 17 and 18 to which longitudinally extending guide rods 19 and 21 are fixed. The ink pad 13, which may be ofany known type, is supported adjacent the supporting member 17 in any suitable manner. The plate 14 is disposed between the supporting members 17 and 18 and between the guide rods 19 and 21 immediately adjacent the ink pad 13. The plate 14 may be of any known type and may, for example, carry a rubber impression plate having a raised image corresponding to the image to be printed.

The carriage 15 is generally of an inverted U-shaped and is comprised of a pair of vertically extending members 22 and 23 that carry bearings 24 and 25 for slidably supporting the carriage 15 upon the guide rods 19 and 21. A crossmember 26 is affixed to the upper ends of the vertically extending members 22 and 23.

A spur timing gear 27 is fixed to a timing shaft 28 that is journaled in the carriage member 22 in any appropriate manner. The spur timing gear 27 is enmeshed with a longitudinally extending rack 29 that is fixed to the supporting members I7 and 18 adjacent the guide rod 19. Hence, longitudinal movement of the carriage 15 relative to the base assembly 12 will cause rotation of the timing gear 27 and its associated shaft 28.

The roller assembly 16 is comprised of a yoke 31 that defines a pair of journals at its forward end which rotatably support a roller shaft 32. An image-receiving roller 33 is fixed for rotation with the shaft 32 between the arms of the yoke 31. A handle 34 is affixed to the crossleg of the yoke 31 for manipulation of the roller assembly 16.

The opposite ends of the roller shaft 32 are formed with generally oval-shaped ends 35 (FIG 4) one of which is adapted to be received in a complementary shaped opening 36 formed integrally with the timing shaft 28 or formed on an extension 37 that is affixed for rotation with the timing shaft 28. The opposite end portion 35 of the roller shaft 32 is received in a complementary recess formed in an idler member 38 that is affixed to a shaft 39 which is journaled in the carriage member 23. The connection between the roller shaft 32 and timing shaft 28 provides a detachable driving connection so that the roller 33 will be rotated in synchronism as the carriage 15 traverses the base assembly 12.

A pair of forwardly extending arms 41 and 42 are affixed to the carriage members 22 and 23, respectively. The arms 41 and 42 rotatably journal a pair of ink rollers 43 and 44 which are adapted to move into registry with the ink pad 13 when the carriage 15 is in one extreme position. Upon return movement of the carriage 15, the rollers 43 and 44 will transfer the ink they pick up from the ink pad 13 onto the plate 14.

In operation, the roller assembly 16 is detachably connected to the carriage 15 through the detachable driving connection previously described. This is done when the carriage I5 is at the extreme end of the base assembly 12 opposite to the ink pad 13. The roller assembly 16 and carriage 15 are then moved toward the opposite end of the base assembly 12 by applying an appropriate pressure through the handle 34. The roller 13 will then be brought into rolling contact with the plate 14. The relationship between the timing gears 27 and 29 is such that pure rolling contact exists between the roller 13 and plate 14. That is, the roller 33 cannot slip relative to the plate 14. Thus, an inked image is transmitted directly from the plate 14 onto the roller 33 without any blurring of the image. At the same time, the ink rollers 43 and 44 will be brought into registry with the ink pad 13 to be reinked. Return movement of the roller 33 by drawing upon the handle 34 will cause the roller 33 to again traverse the plate 14 along the same path previously traversed. The inked roller 33 may then be removed and the image transferred to a piece of paper or other article by passing the roller 33 over this article. An accurate representation of the image will obviously be imprinted.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiment of the invention disclosed is well calculated to fulfill the objects above stated, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An image transfer printing machine comprising a base assembly, a plate carried by said base assembly and defining the image to be transferred, means for applying ink or the like to said plate, a carriage, means supporting and guiding said carriage for movement along a fixed path relative to said base assembly, a first timing gear rotatably supported by said carriage, a second timing gear carried by said base assembly and cooperating with said first timing gear for driving said first timing gear in synchronism upon movement of said carriage along said fixed path relative to said base assembly, a roller assembly comprising a roller and a supporting member for rotatably supporting said roller, and means for detachably connecting said roller assembly to said carriage and to said first timing gear for effecting a detachable driving connection between said roller and said first timing gear, said roller being adapted to pick up ink from said plate when said roller is drivingly connected to said first timing gear and as said carriage is moved relative to said base assembly and brought into registry with said plate.

2. An image transfer printing machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein the means for applying ink or the like to the plate comprise an ink pad fixed relative to the base assembly and transfer rollers rotatably supported by the carriage and adapted to engage said ink pad and said plate upon movement of said carriage relative to said base assembly.

3. An image transfer printing machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein the base assembly has guide rods extending on opposite sides of the plate, the carriage comprising a substantially U-shaped member having the respective of its legs guidingly supported by said guide rods for reciprocation of said carriage relative to said base assembly, the roller assembly being adapted to be supported between said legs of said carriage.

4. An image transfer printing machine as set forth in claim 3 wherein the second timing gear comprises a rack fixed relative to the base assembly adjacent one of the guide rods, the first timing gear comprising a pinion gear enmeshed with said rack.

5. An image transfer printing machine as set forth in claim 4 wherein the roller assembly includes a handle affixed to the supporting member for rolling said roller into contact with an article onto which the image is to be printed and for reciprocating the carriage relative to the base assembly.

6. An image transfer printing machine as set froth in claim 3 wherein the means for applying ink or the like to the plate comprise an ink pad fixed relative to the base assembly and transfer rollers rotatably supported by the carriage and' adapted to engage said ink pad and said plate upon movement of said carriage relative to said base assembly. 

1. An image transfer printing machine comprising a base assembly, a plate carried by said base assembly and defining the image to be transferred, means for applying ink or the like to said plate, a carriage, means supporting and guiding said carriage for movement along a fixed path relative to said base assembly, a first timing gear rotatably supported by said carriage, a second timing gear carried by said base assembly and cooperating with said first timing gear for driving said first timing gear in synchronism upon movement of said carriage along said fixed path relative to said base assembly, a roller assembly comprising a roller and a supporting member for rotatably supporting said roller, and means for detachably connecting said roller assembly to said carriage and to said first timing gear for effecting a detachable driving connection between said roller and said first timing gear, said roller being adapted to pick up ink from said plate when said roller is drivingly connected to said first timing gear and as said carriage is moved relative to said base assembly and brought into registry with said plate.
 2. An image transfer printing machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein the means for applying ink or the like to the plate comprise an ink pad fixed relative to the base assembly and transfer rollers rotatably supported by the carriage and adapted to engage said ink pad and said plate upon movement of said carriage relative to said base assembly.
 3. An image transfer printing machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein the base assembly has guide rods extending on opposite sides of the plate, the carriage comprising a substantially U-shaped member having the respective of its legs guidingly supported by said guide rods for reciprocation of said carriage relative to said base assembly, the roller assembly being adapted to be supported between said legs of said carriage.
 4. An image transfer printing machine as set forth in claim 3 wherein the second timing gear comprises a rack fixed relative to the base assembly adjacent one of the guide rods, the first timing gear comprising a pinion gear enmeshed with said rack.
 5. An image transfer printing machine as set forth in claim 4 wherein the roller assembly includes a handle affixed to the supporting member for rolling said roller into contact with an article onto which the image is to be printed and for reciprocating the carriage relative to the base assembly.
 6. An image transfer printing machine as set froth in claim 3 wherein the means for applying ink or the like to the plate comprise an ink pad fixed relative to the base assembly and transfer rollers rotatably supported by the carriage and adapted to engage said ink pad and said plate upon movement of said carriage relative to said base assembly. 